Olivia Attwood has reportedly been in talks with ITV for years about an appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
On Monday, the Love Island star was confirmed as part of the line-up for the upcoming series, which airs on November 6.
The 31-year-old rocketed to fame after placing third on the hit dating show alongside her then-beau Chris Hughes back in 2017.
ITV producers reportedly wanted Olivia to be a part of the star-studded line-up for I’m A Celeb 2018, but pulled the plug last minute.
A source told The UK Sun: “Olivia first had a meeting with ITV about appearing on I’m A Celebrity back in 2018.”
“She had just come off Love Island the year before and bosses were really keen on her, but at the time they were nervous about cast Love Islanders so she missed out.”
“The meeting went really well so Olivia was really gutted.”
However, the show’s Love Island star ban has evidently lifted, as Olivia was confirmed as part of the line-up on Monday.
Speaking to the outlet at Brisbane Airport upon her arrival in Australia last week, Olivia confessed: “I am scared of me, in terms of how long the other campmates can tolerate me. I will get myself in trouble somehow, the usual…”
When asked what she would miss about home, the reality star said: “God it’s day one so not much at the minute but in three or four days the dogs and my fiancé probably.”
Olivia also joked she would miss having sex with her footballer fiancé Bradley Dack, and said: “Yeah I mean four weeks and no shagging what can you do?”
Ahead of the upcoming series of the show, Olivia said: “Being part of I’m A Celebrity still hasn’t sunk in yet and when I first got the call to take part, I didn’t really believe it! It felt surreal because taking part in the jungle is the absolute pinnacle.”
“It’s the crème de la crème of all shows and obviously I didn’t have to think about it. I said yes immediately!”
“One of the things that will be nice will be to show a different side to me. I think people think I am high maintenance and I will struggle without make-up and nails but I am not that bothered and I think that might surprise people. I am happy to muck in.”
“It will also be nice to have a digital detox. I do a lot of social media and I spend a crazy amount of time on my phone. My phone causes me stress.”
Olivia continued: “We are all prisoners to our phones and so it will be so nice to have this time in life where you are digitally disconnected for three weeks. It’s going to be great to be completely immersed in the jungle environment and I am excited to see what I can do.”
The 31-year-old is one of ten celebrity campmates who have been confirmed for the upcoming series of I’m A Celeb.
Two more celebrities are rumoured to be joining the series as bombshell campmates, after their co-stars have already set into their temporary home for the next couple of weeks.
The show will return to its Australian location for the first time since 2019, after travel restrictions forced ITV to film the series at Gwrych Castle in Wales the last two years.
As well as the 2022 series of I’m A Celeb, there is an All Stars series of the show in the works, which was filmed in South Africa earlier this year, and is set to air next year.
I’m A Celeb will air on ITV and Virgin Media One at 9pm on Sunday, November 6.
